Garden City Considering Opting Out Of Marijuana Sales

GARDEN CITY, NY — The Village of Garden City is holding a public hearing in November on a law that would ban the sale of legal marijuana within the village. Residents would still be able to use recreational marijuana in their homes, but businesses in the village would not be able to sell it, nor would on-site consumption be allowed.

The meeting is scheduled for Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

When Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act earlier this year, a provision gave local governments the authority to opt-out of the sale of recreational marijuana within their boundaries. In doing so, they also forfeit the tax revenue that would come from the sale of marijuana.

While possession and use of marijuana is now legal, the sale of the substance is not expected to begin until 2022 or 2023.

According to the village, if the Town of Hempstead permitted marijuana sales, a sales tax of 3 percent of the sale would be split between the town and the village. The village would be able to spend the money however it wished.

The villages of Floral Park, Hempstead, Rockville Centre, Freeport, Lynbrook and Williston Park have all opted out of the sale of marijuana. The Town of Hempstead has not yet decided.

If the village government decides at a later date that it wants to opt-in to the sale of marijuana, it would be allowed to do so.

If passed, the village's law would be subject to a permissive referendum. If 20 percent of the registered voters from the last village election filed a petition within 30 days, the law would be put to a referendum. If not, it goes into effect at the end of the 30 days.